Cigarette dispenser



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' CIGARETTE DISPENSER Filed May 1, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIGIB INVENTORSML TER BE'HA BY W/L HEL M BENDER fii-me M A T TORNEY$ United StatesPatent 3,211,327 CIGARETTE DISEENSER Walter Bella and Wilhelm Bender,Frankfurt am Main,

Germany, assignors to Schoeller & Co. Elelrtrotechnische Fabrik,Frankfurt am Main, Germany Filed May 1, 1963, Ser. No. 277,328 Claimspriority, application Germany, May 5, 1962, Sch 31,435; May 11, 1962,Sch 31,458; May 14, 1962, Sch 31,469, Sch 31,470

18 Claims. (Cl. 221-45) This invention generally relates to dispensingapparatus and is particularly directed to a cigarette dispenser of thekind wherein a supply of cigarettes is accommodated in a magazine andwherein, upon actuation of an actuating means, such as a push button, acigarette of the supply is automatically transported by a conveyingmechanism past a lighting means and is thereafter partially ejected inlighted condition through a dispensing opening from which the cigaretteis removed by the hand of the user.

A cigarette dispenser having the general characteristics described aboveis disclosed in US. Patent 2,936,930 of May 17, 1960 (hereinafterreferred to as the patent) to which particular reference is had. Whilethe invention, as hereinafter described, is applicable to other kinds ofcigarette dispensers of the nature indicated, the invention will bedescribed with particular reference to the cigarette dispenser structureas disclosed and claimed in the patent.

In the patent and in other dispensers of the general nature referred to,the cigarette drops, upon actuation of the dispenser, from the magazineinto an open holding claw which forms part of the conveying mechanismand is movably guided in a trough extending between the lighting meansof the dispenser and the dispensing opening arranged in the front panelof the casing of the dispenser. After the claw has clamped or grippedthe cigarette received from the magazine, the driving mechanism of thedispenser moves the claw with the cigarette clamped therein along thetrough and toward the lighting means where the cigarette is lighted. Thedirection of movement of the claw is reversed upon lighting and the clawtherefore moves in the opposite direction toward the dispensing opening.Upon completion of the return movement of the claw, the tip of thelighted cigarette projects through the dispensing opening so that thecigarette can be removed by the user. It will be realized that the clawand the trough are subjected to soiling by tar, deposited smoke andtobacco and ash remnants requiring cleaning of this portion of thedispenser from time to time. In the prior art constructions, includingthe construction disclosed in the patent, the trough and claw structureis permanently afiixed and secured to the dispenser and forms anintegral part thereof. With a view to cleaning the trough and the claw,the casing of the prior art dispensers had to be opened and the entiredispenser had to be removed in order to be able to gain access to thetrough and claw to be cleaned. This evidently is disadvantageous,particularly since the cleaning of the cigarette dispensers iscustomarily effected by the users, who usually have no technical skilland thus may cause damage to the mechanism.

According to one aspect of this invention, it is therefore an object toprovide a cigarette dispenser of the kind referred to wherein theabove-described disadvantage is overcome by constructing the trough andclaw structure as a removable unit which can be easily detached from andattached to the dispenser proper without requiring expert skill.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cigarette dispenserstructure, wherein a removable trough and claw structure is providedwhich can be detached from and attached to the dispenser withoutrequiring any tools such as screw drivers, wrenches, pliers and thelike.

'ice

As previously mentioned, the cigarette, after having been lighted andmoved by the claw from the lighting means toward the dispensing opening,partially projects through the dispensing opening from Where it is takenby the user. The claw holds the cigarette in this position with veryslight spring pressure only in order not to damage the cigarette and tofacilitate easy removal of the cigarette from the claw. It will berealized that the user, intending to pull the lighted cigarette at itsprotruding tip from the dispenser, may inadvertently push the cigaretteback into the dispenser, i.e. to a location where the cigaretteincluding its tip lies completely within the confines of the trough. Ascigarette dispensers with which the invention is concerned areoftentimes used in moving vehicles such as motors cars, a sudden joltingof the vehicle at the time the cigarette is intended to be pulled outfrom the dispenser may easily cause such inadvertent pushing back of thecigarette. Once the cigarette has been pushed back into the dispenser,it is extremely ditficult to remove the cigarette therefrom withoutdisassembling the dispenser or without using extraneous tools which inturn may damage the mechanism. As the cigarette at the time of suchinadvertent return into the dispenser interior is lighted, the smoke andash and tobacco remnants tend to cause extreme soiling.

Therefore, and in accordance with a second aspect of this invention, itis an object to provide retrieving means for facilitating the removal,from the trough-claw structure, of cigarette which have inadvertentlybeen pushed back from the dispensing opening into the interior of thedispenser. These retrieving means preferably consist of a rod which ismovably guided parallel and adjacent to the trough. The end of the rodwhich is located within the dispenser is fitted with a cross arm or hookwhile the opposite end projects through the front panel of the dispenser and terminates in a knob or the like for easy manipulation of therod. The rod is spring biased and when a cigarette has to be retrievedfrom the trough, the rod member is drawn out against the force of thespring after it has been manipulated so that the cross arm or hook bearsagainst the lighted end of the cigarette.

It has previously been explained that the cigarette which is releasedfrom the magazine initially drops into a claw which is movably guided ina trough. The claw, in the prior art constructions including the patent,comprises upper and lower cooperating jaw members. The upper jaw memberis pivotally movable and spring biased toward the lower one which restson the trough. When the cigarette is released from the storage magazineand drops into the claw, the upper jaw member is pivoted or rocked awayfrom the lower jaw member and held in such position to define an openingor entry passage into which the cigarette can drop. Once the cigarettehas been positioned on the lower jaw member and in the trough, the upperjaw member is released and urged by the spring into its engagement withthe lower jaw member to slightly clamp the cigarette and hold it inposition. As previously set forth, the clamping action of the claw is,however, very slight in order to prevent damage to the cigarette and tofacilitate removal of the cigarette from the claw when the cigarette ispulled by its tip. The cigarette is clamped by the claw at the time thecigarette is lighted by the lighting means of the dispenser and isthereafter again retracted for movement toward the dispensing opening.The lighting means in the prior art dispensers, including the patent,consist of a red-hot surface which is formed by an electrically heated,e.g. spirally wound wire. Experience has established that there exists atendency of the lighted end of the cigarette to adhere to the red-hotsurface of the wire. This adhesion force is sometimes greater than theclamping force exerted by the jaw members of the claw on the cigarette.If this occurs, the cigarette cannot be moved back by the claw, but thelighted end of the cigarette will stick to the surface of the lightingmeans. It has been suggested to overcome this drawback by increasing theclamping force of the claw on the cigarette. However, if this is done,then upon removal of the cigarette from the dispensing opening, thelighted end of the cigarette may readily be torn off by the jaw membersas during such removal this lighted end moves past and through the claw.Further, a permanent increase in the clamping action would, of course,increase the friction between the cigarette and the claw and thus thecigarette paper may be torn. According to another suggestion, it hasbeen proposed to increase the holding force between the cigarette andthe claw by providing the interior surfaces of the jaw members withroughened portions. This proposal, however, has not met with success asthese rough portions tend rapidly to become clogged with ash and smokedeposits.

The invention aims at overcoming this drawback in the prior artcigarette dispenser and, accordingly, it is a further object of thisinvention to provide means for temporarily increasing the clampingaction of the claw on the cigarette, said means becoming operative atthe time when the lighted cigarette is to be retracted by the claw fromthe surface of the lighting means for movement toward the dispensingopening.

These means, according to a preferred embodiment, comprise a springloaded lever which is movable between an operative position in which thelever bears on the claw to increase the clamping action on the cigaretteand an inoperative position wherein the lever is moved out of engagementwith the claw.

In the prior art dispenser devices, including one of the embodiments ofthe patent referred to, the conveying mechanism for conveying thecigarette from the magazine to the lighting means and thence to thedispensing opening is actuated by means of a pusher rod which isoperated from the front panel of the casing. At the same time, forcestorage means in the form of springs are tensioned or loaded and thetiming of the conveying mechanism is controlled by means of an auxiliarycontrol rod which moves together with the pusher rod due to connectionthrough one of the force storage means or spring. The pusher rod, inturn, during its forward movement, causes movement of a control rodmember which extends parallel to the pusher rod. The control rod member,during its return movement, switches in and switches ofi the heatingcurrent for the igniting means. The control rod member, by releasing thepusher rod at a predetermined instant, initiates the return movement ofthe pusher rod and of the auxiliary control rod. Both the forward andthe return movements of the auxiliary control rod are delayed by meansof a braking cylinder-piston arrangement which is mounted at the rearwall of the casing. The piston rod of this piston forms the extension ofthe auxiliary control rod which is indicated by reference numeral 101 inthe patent. Due to this arrangement, the speeds with which the cigaretteis conveyed to the lighting means and after lighting toward thedispensing opening, are substantially equal. Experience has shown thatthis equal speed of the cigarette during its movement to the lightingmeans and from the lighting means toward the dispensing opening isdisadvantageous. The reason for this is that the movement of the clawwith the cigarette clamped therein toward the lighting means take placetoo rapidly so that the cigarette is not always properly gripped orclamped by the claw, particularly if cigarettes of varying diameter areused. However, if the forward movement of the claw toward the lightingmeans would be delayed, the return movement of the claw, that is, themovement of the lighted cigarette toward the dispensing opening, would,in turn, be too slow.

Accordingly, it is a further object of this invention to provide meansfor imparting the auxiliary control rod with a speed during its forwardmovement which is slower than the speed during its return movement. Thisis accomplished by providing separate braking means of different brakingpower which act on the auxiliary control rod at predetermined times.

Referring specifically to the dispenser construction of the patent, theinventive aim may be realized by eliminating the braking cylinder withits piston and to accomplish the braking of the advancing auxiliarycontrol rod and thus of the movement of holding claw toward the lightingmeans by the air or eddy current brake which is anyway present in thedispenser. In the patent this air brake caused merely braking of thecontrol member during its return movement. During the advance of thecontrol rod member the action of the air brake was, however, eliminated.

It has also been found to be advantageous to replace the air brakingmeans by a retarding mechanism such as is known from watchconstructions. However, if the braking cylinder, as provided in thepatent, is eliminated, the return of the auxiliary control rod and thusof the holding claw with the lighted cigarette toward the dispensingopening has to be controlled and retarded as otherwise the cigarette maybe completely ejected through the dispensing opening by the force of themotion. For this reason, the force storage means or spring which causesthe return of the pusher rod and thus of the auxiliary control rod intotheir starting positions, is surrounded with a bellows having a smallvent for the purpose of pressure or air compensation. This vent prolongsthe release time of the spring to such an extent that forceful ejectionof the cigarette through the dispensing opening is prevented.

To control the movement of the holding claw as hereinabove describedrequires, however, additional changes in the construction of thedispenser of the patent. In the last embodiment described in the patent,the control rod member is taken or moved along in its advance movementby means of a pin which engages a pawl mounted on the pusher rod. In itsextreme forward position the control rod member is at the same timereleased from its engagement with the pusher rod. The control rod memberthen initiates its return movement and switches in and switches off theheating current for the lighting means. Due to the inventive, moredelayed movement of the auxiliary control rod and thus of the holdingclaw controlled thereby, the cigarette reaches the lighting means at alater time. Accordingly, in order to compensate for this change intiming, the follower pawl for advancing the control rod member forwardis not pivotally mounted on the pusher rod as in the previousconstruction, but is instead rotatably arranged on the auxiliary controlrod. In this manner a correct sequential timing with regard to the timewhen the cigarette reaches the lighting means and the switching in ofthe heating current is obtained.

The delay of the advance movement of the auxiliary control rod has thefurther consequence that, presuming that the construction in theprevious patent is otherwise retained, the pusher rod is no longerarrested at the termination of its advance movement. This is so becausein the previous construction the control rod member has at its rear enda release member or plate which serves the purpose, during returnmovement of the control rod member, to move on a slanted or oblique edgeof the arresting pawl which locks the pusher rod at the rear bearing. Indoing so, the pusher rod is released and the return movement of thepusher rod is initiated. Due to the delayed advance movement of thecontrol rod member which in the improved construction is coupled withthe auxiliary control rod, the release plate does not timely reach thementioned location. Consequently, arresting the pusher rod does not takeplace. In the improved construction, the release plate is consequentlyeliminated so as to accomplish arresting or latching of the pusher rodby the locking pawl at the rearward bearing and to accomplish releasethereof in a different manner. This is accomplished by anelectromagnetic release device which is also controlled by the controlmember. The armature of the electromagnet bears upon excitation againstthe locking pawl whereby release of the pusher rod takes place. In theevent that the circuit of the electromagnet should not properly operate,an emergency release is provided which is manually operable. By means ofa button or knob arranged at the front panel of the casing, a springloaded rod is' moved against the armature of the magnet and in thismanner the armature is pushed against the locking pawl to cause releaseof the pusher rod.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention arepointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming apart of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which there is illustrated and described a preferredembodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective elevation of a cigarette dispenser with thetrough and claw structure removed therefrom;

FIG. 2 is a perspective elevation of the trough and claw structure to beattached to the dispenser of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows the dispenser with the trough and claw structure inattached position;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the dispenser illustrating the trough and clawstructure and the means for retrieving a cigarette from the dispenserafter the cigarette has inadvertently been pushed back thereinto;

FIG. 5 is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a somewhat diagrammatical representation of the means fortemporarily increasing the clamping action of the claw at the time thecigarette is retracted from the lighting means;

FIG. 7 shows an actual embodiment of the structure diagrammaticallyshown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a representation of the means for causing different speeds ofthe auxiliary control rod during advance and return movement,respectively;

FIG. 9 shows the center portion of FIG. 8 with some of the elementsremoved;

FIG. 10 is an illustration of the manually operable emergency release ofthe pusher rod;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of part of the mechanism shown in FIGS. 8, 9and 10;

FIG. 12 is a side View of the dispenser illustrating a modification ofthe retrieving means shown in FIG. 4; and

FIG. 13, is a plan view corresponding to FIG. 12.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3,the cigarette dispenser generally indicated by reference numeral 106,comprises a casing 10 having a front panel 2, a side panel 3 and a toppanel 12. The top panel 12 defines an opening 14 which communicates withthe cigarette storage magazine in the interior of the dispenser. Thedispenser 100, as illustrated in FIG. 1, is generally of theconstruction disclosed in US. Patent 2,936,930 and for this reason onlythose parts have been shown in the drawings which are necessary forunderstanding the invention and for appreciating the differences betweenthe structure of the previous patent and the present invention. Theoperation of the dispenser is initiated by pushing the push botton 98toward and into the opening 96 in the front panel 2, whereby the drivingor conveying mechanism of the dispenser is actuated in the mannerexplained in the patent. One of several cigarettes which are positionedin the magazine of the dispenser is thus dropped into the trough-clawconstruction generally referred to by reference numeral 95 (FIG. 2). Asin the previous patent, structure 95 comprises a trough 28 defining alongitudinally extending slot 27. A claw 4 is movably guided in the slot27. The claw comprises an upper jaw member 4a which normally is inengagement with the lower jaw member 26. The upper jaw member 4a isspring biased against the lower jaw member 26 by means of the spring 92and is capable of pivotal movement about a shaft 93. Thus, the upper jawmember 4a may be rocked into a position away from the lower jaw member26. The lower jaw member 26 has a downwardly extending pin 26a whichprojects through the slot 27 into engagement with the driving mechanismof the dispenser as explained in the previous patent. As in the previouspatent, the claw 4 after having clamped the cigarette, is moved in thedirection of arrow A, FIG. 5, for lighting of the cigarette by thelighting means 5 and then in the direction of arrow B toward thedispensing opening 91 provided in the front panel 2 of the dispenser. Upto this point the structure hereinbefore described is the same as thatdisclosed in the previous patent. In accordance with the invention, theside panel 3 of the casing 10 of the dispenser is, however, providedwith a cutout or opening 60 for gaining access to the interior of thedispenser. This cutout 60 may, if desired, be closed by a hinged lid orthe like. The front panel 2 of the casing is cut to form a slot 61 whilea similar slot 62 is cut on the same level in a panel 89 which extendsparallel to front panel 2. The ends of the trough 28 are bent downwardlyand outwardly to form ledge or guide portions 63 and 64 as indicated inFIG. 2. The dimensions of the structure 95 are such that when thetrough-claw structure 95 is to be inserted into the dispenser, the ledgeportions 63 and 64 will be aligned with the slots 61 and 62,respectively, so that by simply pushing the structure 9'5 inwardly thetrough and claw are securely asembled within the dispenser as indicatedin FIG. 3. In the reverse, if the trough and claw are to be removed fromthe dispenser for cleaning purposes, the structure 95 is merely pulledout to disengage the ledges 63, 64 from the slots. A handle 38 isprovided on the trough 6 in order to facilitate the manipulation.

It will be noted that the slots 61 and 62 are enlarged at their openends in V-shaped manner as indicated at 85 and 84, respectively. Theseenlarged portions, of course, facilitate insertion into the slots.

In order to lock the trough-claw structure into position once it hasbeen inserted into the dispenser, holding means in the form of lugs 65and 66 may be provided which are rotatably mounted in the panels 2 and89, respectively, as indicated at 82 and 83. These lugs, when rotatedinto engagement with the downwardly bent end portions of the trough,prevent inadvertent removal of the trough and the claw from thedispenser casing 10.

Turning now to FIGS. 4 and 5, it will be noted that these two figuresillustrate a construction of the means for retrieving a cigarette fromthe interior of the dispenser after the cigarette has been inadvertentlypushed back into the trough. These means generally comprise a rod 70which extends parallel to but slightly above the trough 23. One end ofthe rod 70 projects through an opening of the front panel 2 of thecasing and the projecting end is provided with an actuating knob 71which can also 'be seen in FIGS. 1 and 3. The opposite end of the rod 70carries a downwardly extending lug member 79. A hook-shaped member 72 isin turn pivoted to the lug 79. The hook-shaped member 72 extendsperpendicular to the rod 70. The rod is guided for reciprocatorymovement out from and into the casing by the provision of bearingmembers as diagrammatically indicated at 77. A spring 7 4 is interposedbetween the bearing member 77 which is stationarily fixed within thecasing and the lug member 79. When a cigarette is to be removed from thedispenser, the rod is pulled out by the knob 71 as indicated indash-dotted lines in FIGS. 4 and 5. When the knob is released, thespring 74 urges the rod back into its position within the casing. Inorder to facilitate alignment of the hook member 72 with the lightedfront end of the cigarette to be removed from the casing, a plate 75 issecured to the bottom panel of the casing 10. The plate member 75 has aninclined or slanted portion 73. When the rod is pulled outwardly, thehook member 72 slides along the slanted portion 73 until it reaches thetop of the slant. In this position, the free end of the hook member 72projects from below through the longitudinal slot 27 of the trough 28 soas to be level with and in front ofthe lighted end of the cigarette tobe removed. When the rod is then pulled out further, the hook member 72engages the lighted end 99 of the cigarette 65 and pushes the cigarettethrough the dispensing opening 91 until it can be gripped by the user.This position is indicated in dash-dotted lines in FIG. 5. It will berealized that the provision of the pivotally mounted hook member 72 andthe cooperating slanted plate 73, 75 is not necessary for properfunctioning of the device. Instead, it is feasible to provide a rodwhich has a terminal projection or cross arm '72 and to mount the rodrotatably relative to the casing, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13. Byturning the knob 71, the user can then readily align the cross arm 72'with the lighted cigarette end so as to cause removal. Further, removalcan also be accomplished by simply causing contact between such crossarm or hook member 72 or 72 and the cigarette at any area of thecigarette as the frictional force thus created between the cross arm andthe cigarette will be larger than the force holding the cigarette in thetrough and claw. Pulling of the rod will therefore cause movement of thecigarette outwardly through the dispensing opening 91.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the means for temporarily increasing theclamping pressure by the claw 4 on the cigarette at the time when thecigarette is retracted from the heating element 5 of the lighting means.When the cigarette 65 is in front of the element 5 for the purpose ofbeing lighted, the cigarette is clamped by the claw 4 as the upper jawelement 4a is pivoted toward the lower jaw member. The pressure extertedby the spring biased upper jaw member 4a on the cigarette is very slightand, as previously mentioned, may not be sufficient to permit retractionof the cigarette in a direction toward the dispensing opening asindicated by the arrow C. This is due to the adhesive force between thelighted end 99 of the cigarette and the red-hot surface of the element5. In order to thus increase the clamping force on the cigarette, atwo-armed lever 67 is provided which comprises lever arm 190 and leverarm 64. The lever is pivotally mounted at the pivot point 192 of acasing member 180 as indicated in FIG. 6. A ball or roller 191 ismounted on the free end of lever arm 190. A spring 195, one end of whichis secured to the member 180, urges the lever arm 190 into a positionaway from the jaw member 4a, as indicated in dash lines in FIG. 6. Leverarm 64 is connected to the armature 193 of an electromagnet 194. Whenthe electromagnet 194 is energized, the armature 193 is attracted, asseen in full lines in FIG. 6. The lever 67 is thereby rocked about thepivot point 192 so that the roller 191 on the other lever arm 190 bearsagainst the top surface of the upper jaw member 4a of the claw 4,thereby to increase the clamping action on the cigarette 65. Theoperation of the mechanism is so timed that the electromagnet is excitedat the very moment the retraction movement of the cigarette in directionof the arrow C takes place. As soon as the cigarette has ben disengagedfrom the heated surface 5 of the lighting means, the current for theelectromagnet is switched off whereby spring 195 causes rocking of thelever 67 about the pivot point 192, thereby disengaging the roller 191from the upper jaw member 4a.

While FIG. 6 illustrates the arrangement of the spring biased,electromagnetically actuated lever 67 in a diagrammatic manner so as toclarify the principle involved, FIG. 7 illustrates a practicalembodiment for such arrangement wherein the corresponding elements havebeen indicated by the same reference numerals plus a prime Referring nowto FIGS. 8 to 10, reference numeral 201 indicates a bellows whichaccommodates a helical spring 7 which constitutes the force storagemeans for accomplishing the return movement of the pusher rod 3, asdisclosed in the patent. The interior space of the bellows 201communicates with the ambient air by means of a vent opening 202 whichacts as pressure equalizing means. The auxiliary control rod 101 which,by means of the guide pin 22, controls the lever 24 (see the patent) ofthe claw 4, is coupled with the pusher rod 3 by means of the spring 102.This corresponds to the construction of the patent. The motion of theauxiliary control rod 101 and thus of the claw 4 is controlled asfollows: The pawl 30 is mounted on the auxiliary control rod 101 andduring the forward movement of the auxiliary control rod 101 the controlrod member 32 is taken along in positive manner due to engagement of thepawl 30 with the pin 31. The control rod member 32, however, during itsforward movement, is also coupled with the retarding mechanism (or airbrake) 35 by means of the pin 203. For this reason, the braking actionof the retarding mechanism 35 exerts also a delaying action on theadvance of the auxiliary control rod 101. Auxiliary control rod 101 andcontrol rod member 32 therefore advance with the same speed, which speedis determined by the braking force of the braking or retarding mechanismand is less than in the construction of the patent. The mounting of thepawl 30 on the auxiliary control rod 101 is not clearly visible in FIGS.8 and 9 because the pivot point 214 of the pawl, for constructionalreasons, is placed on an angular member connected with the auxiliarycontrol rod 101 at the level of the pusher rod 3.

The action of the release plate 45 provided in the previous patent atthe rear end of the control rod member for releasing the pusher rod 3 istaken over by means of the electromagnet 204 and its armature 205 (FIG.10). The armature 205 of the magnet is rockable about the axis 206. Thearmature has a projecting lug member 205a which, upon excitation of themagnet, strikes the pawl 29 and thus releases its arresting engagementwith the rear bearing angle 45. A surface 205b at the armature servesthe purpose to release an additional pawl from its engagement with thegearing of the pusher rod 3. This additional pawl which in the mainpatent bears reference numeral 104a, is not shown. The current for themagnet 204 is switched in and switched off by means of the control rodmember during its return movement after the control rod member hasswitched off the heating current for the lighting device. In the eventthat an inadvertent interruption in the current supply for the circuitof the magnet should take place, release can be effected in manualmanner by moving the armature into its operative position. Thisemergency release consists of a rod 207 which protrudes through thefront panel of the cigarette casing and can be manipulated therefrom.The rod 207 pushes the pivotally mounted lever 208 against the armature.A spring 209 returns the lever and the rod into their startingpositions. In order to perform its switching functions, the control rodmember is provided with a cam 210 which controls the contacts for thecircuits for the lighting means and for the electromagnet. Thesecontacts are combined to form a composite unit 211. In order to causerelease of the switching function in correct sequence, a second contactpair 212, 213 is switched in series in each of the circuits. This secondcontact pair 212, 213 cooperates alternatingly with the spring contactsof the unit 211.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the principles ofthe invention, it will be understood that this invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from such principles.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a cigarette dispenser including a casing defining a cigarettestorage magazine and having a dispensing opening, a cigarette lightingmeans and conveying means for conveying one cigarette at a time from themagazine to the lighting means and thence reversely to project with oneend outwardly through the dispensing opening for manual grasping,wherein the conveying means includes a trough member extending betweensaid lighting means and said dispensing opening, and wherein a user mayinadvertently push a projecting lit cigarette back into the casing, theimprovement which comprises retriever means arranged adjacent saidtrough member and actuable from outside said casing for retrieving acigarette inadvertently pushed back into the casing, from said troughmember and moving it outwardly through said dispensing opening.

2. The improvement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said retriever meanscomprises a rod having one end projecting through said casing for manualoperation, and engaging means mounted on the other end of said rod forengaging a cigarette located within said trough member, said engagingmeans urging a cigarette in said trough through said dispensing openingwhen said projecting end of the rod is pulled in a direction away fromsaid casing.

3. The improvement as claimed in claim 2, wherein knob means are securedon said projecting end.

4. The improvement as claimed in claim 2, further comprising springmeans within said casing and cooperating with said rod for urging saidrod into said casing.

5. In a cigarette dispenser including a casing defining a cigarettestorage magazine and having a dispensing opening, a cigarette lightingmeans and conveying means for conveying one cigarette at 'a time fromthe magazine to the lighting means and thence reversely to project withone end outwardly through the dispensing opening for manual grasping,wherein the conveying means includes a trough member extending betweensaid lighting means and said dispensing opening, and wherein a user mayinadvertently push a projecting lit cigarette back into the casing, theimprovement which comprises a retriever in the form of a spring loadedrod extending substantially parallel to and adjacent said trough memberand having one end projecting through said casing for manual actuationwhile the opposite end of the rod is provided with hook means to engagea cigarette, inadvertently pushed back into the casing, in said trough,said rod being pull able in a direction away from said casing againstthe action of said spring to move such cigarette outwardly through thedispensing opening.

6. In a cigarette dispenser including a casing defining a cigarettestorage magazine and having a dispensing opening, a cigarette lightingmeans and conveying means for conveying one cigarette at a time from themagazine to the lighting means and thence to the dispensing opening,wherein the conveying means includes a trough member extending betweensaid lighting means and said dispensing opening, the improvement whichcomprises a retriever in the form of a spring loaded rod extendingsubstantially parallel to and adjacent said trough member and having oneend projecting through said casing for manual actuation, a hook memberpivoted to the other end of said rod and normally extending below saidtrough member, said trough member having a longitudinally extendingbottom slot, a plate member extending in said casing below said troughmember and having a slanted surface engageable by said hook, said hookupon pulling of said rod in a direction away from said casing slidingalong said slanted surface and projecting through said slot into thetrough member.

7. In a cigarette dispenser including a casing defining a cigarettestorage magazine and having a dispensing opening, a cigarette lightingmeans and conveying means for conveying one cigarette at a time from themagazine to the lighting means and thence to the dispensing opening,wherein the conveying means includes a claw for exerting a predeterminedfirst clamping pressure on the cigarette, said conveying means includingmeans for first moving the claw toward the lighting means and thence tothe dispensing opening, the improvement which comprises pressure meansfor temporarily increasing the clamping pressure of said claw on thecigarette to a second and higher pressure, said pressure means beingmovable between an operative position in which said means presses onsaid claw and an inoperative position in which said means is out ofengagement with said claw, and actuating means for moving said pressuremeans from the inoperative position into the operative position when thecigarette is conveyed by the claw from the lighting means toward saiddispensing opening.

8. In a cigarette dispenser including a casing defining a cigarettestorage magazine and having a dispensing opening, a cigarette lightingmeans and conveying means for conveying one cigarette at a time from themagazine to the lighting means and thence to the dispensing opening,wherein the conveying means includes a claw for clamping the cigarette,said conveying means including means for first moving the claw towardthe lighting means and thence to the dispensing opening, the improvementwhich comprises a double-armed lever pivotally mounted in said casingand having first and second lever arms, said lever being pivotablebetween an operative position wherein said first lever arm bears againstsaid claw and an inoperative position wherein said first lever arm isout of engagement with said claw, an electromagnet mounted in saidcasing and having an armature, said second lever arm being operativelyconnected with said armature, said electromagnet upon being energizedattracting said armature to thereby pivot said lever into the operativeposition.

9. The improvement as claimed in claim 8, further comprising springmeans connected to said first lever arm for urging said lever into saidinoperative position.

10. The improvement as claimed in claim 8, wherein said electromagnet isenergized when the claw with a cigarette starts its movement from thelighting means toward said dispensing opening and is deenergized whenthe cigarette is out of engagement with said lighting means.

11. In a cigarette dispenser including a casing defining a cigarettestorage magazine and having a dispensing opening, a cigarette lightingmeans and conveying means for conveying one cigarette at a time from themagazine to the lighting means and thence to the dispensing opening,wherein the conveying means are actuated by an axially reciprocatingpusher rod and are controlled by means of an auxiliary control rod whichmoves forwardly and backwardly and extends parallel to the pusher rodand is coupled therewith by means of spring means, and where in themovements of the conveying means are further controlled by means of areciprocating control rod member which, during its forward movement, iscoupled with the auxiliary control rod and after release therewith andduring its backward movement controls the operation of the lightingmeans, the improvement which comprises means for moving the auxiliarycontrol rod during its forward movement at a lesser speed than duringits backward movement, and wherein the braking of the auxiliary controlrod during its forward movement is eifected by braking means effectingthe braking of the control rod member during its return movement, thebraking of the backward movement of the auxiliary control rod beingeffected by means of a bellows having a vent, said bellows enveloping aforce storage means which effects the return movement of the auxiliarycontrol rod and of the pressure rod.

12. The improvement as claimed in claim 11, wherein means are providedfor positively connecting the auxiliary control rod during its forwardmovement with the control rod member.

13. The improvement as claimed in claim 11, wherein the pusher rod isarrested upon completion of its forward movement, means being providedfor releasing the pusher rod, said means comprising an electromagnet,and control means for current supply to said electromagnet controlled bythe control rod member during is backward movement.

14. The improvement as claimed in claim 13, further comprising amanually operable rod member extending through said casing and beingcapable of actuation from outside said casing, said rod member beingcapable of pressing the armature of said electromagnet to release saidpusher rod.

15. In a cigarette dispenser including a casing defining a cigarettestorage magazine and having a dispensing opening, a cigarette lightingmeans and conveying means for conveying one cigarette at a time from themagazine to the lighting means and thence reversely to project with oneend outwardly through the dispensing opening for manual grasping,wherein the conveying means includes a trough member extending betweensaid lighting means and said dispensing opening and claw means movablymounted on said trough member for clamping the cigarette, and wherein auser may inadvertently push a projecting lit cigarette back into thecasing, the improvement which comprises that said trough member and saidclaw means form a detachable unit, said casing having a side wallportion formed with an access opening between said light-ing means andsaid dispensing opening for bodily sidewise insertion of said unit intooperative position in said casing between said lighting means and saiddispensing opening, and a retriever means arranged adjacent said troughmember, in the operative inserted position of the latter, and actuablefrom outside said casing for retrieving a cigarette, inadvertentlypushed back into the casing, from said trough memlber and moving itoutwardly through said dispensing opening.

16. In a cigarette dispenser including a casing defining a cigarettestorage magazine and having a dispensing opening, a cigarette lightingmeans and conveying means for conveying one cigarette at a time from themagazine to the lighting means and thence to the dispensing opening,wherein the conveying means includes a trough member extending betweensaid lighting means and said dispensing opening and claw means movablymounted on said trough member for clamping the cigarette, theimprovement which comprises that said trough member and said claw meansform a detachable unit, means being provided for detachably mountingsaid unit in said casing between said lighting means and said dispensingopening, pressure means for increasing the clamping pressure of saidclaw on the cigarette, said pressure means being movable between anoperative position in which said means presses on said claw and aninoperative position in which said means is out of engagement with saidclaw, and actuating means for moving said pressure means from theinoperative position into the operative position when the cigarette isconveyed by the claw from the lighting means toward said dispensingopening.

17. In a cigarette dispenser including a casing defining a cigarettestorage magazine and having a dispensing opening, a cigarette lightingmeans and conveying means for conveying one cigarette at a time from themagazine to the lighting means and thence to the dispensing opening,wherein the conveying means includes a trough member extending betweensaid lighting means and said dispensing opening and claw means movablymounted on said trough member for clamping the cigarette, theimprovement which comprises that said trough member and said claw meansform a detachable unit, means being provided for detachably mountingsaid unit in said casing between said lighting means and said dispensingopening, pressure means for increasing the clamping pressure of saidclaw on the cigarette, said pressure means being movable between anoperative position in which said means presses on said claw and aninoperative position in which said means is out of engagement with saidclaw, and actuating means for moving said pressure means from theinoperative position into operative position when the cigarette isconveyed by the claw from the lighting means toward said dispensingopening, and a retriever means arranged adjacent said trough member andactuable from outside said casing for retrieving a cigarette from saidtrough member and moving it through said dispensing opening.

18. A cigarette dispenser comprising a casing defining a cigarettestorage magazine, said casing having a dispensing opening in a frontwall, a cigarette lighting means adjacent a second wall rearwardly ofsaid front wall, and conveying means extending longitudinally adjacent aside wall for conveying one cigarette at a time from the magazine to thelighting means and thence to the dispensing opening, said conveyingmeans including a trough member extending between said lighting meansand said dispensing opening and claw means movably mounted in saidtrough member for clamping a cigarette, said casing having an accessopening in said side wall, said front and second walls each beingprovided with an open ended slot, said trough member being bodilydisplaceable sidewise through said access opening into and out ofoperative position in said casing, and having bent end portions formingledge members engageable in said slots to enable said trough member tobe attached to and removed from said front and second walls through saidaccess opening; handle means secured to said trough member forfacilitating manipulation thereof; and locking means on said casingeffective to releasably lock said trough member in operative engagementin said casing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,281,060 4/42Aronson 221--136 2,552,481 5/51 Eberhardt et a1. 221-147 2,638,395 5/53Smith 221197 X 2,655,422 10/53 Gussack 312333 2,711,944 6/55 Meek et a1.312333 2,733,972 2/56 Diack 3083.6 2,936,930 5/60 Rott et al 221153,135,425 6/64 Korr 221-197 X LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

HADD S. LANE, RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Examiners,

1. IN A CIGATETTE DISPENSER INCLUDING A CASING DEFINING A CIGARETTESTORAGE MAGAZINE AND HAVING A DISPENSING OPENING, A CIGARETTE LIGHTINGMEANS AND CONVEYING MEANS FOR CONVEYING ONE CIGARETTE AT A TIME FROM THEMAGAZINE TO THE LIGHTING MEANS AND THENCE REVERSELY TO PROJECT WITH ONEEND OUTWARDLY THROUGH THE DISPENSING OPENING FOR MANUAL GRASPING,WHEREIN THE CONVEYING MEANS INCLUDES A TROUGH MEMBER EXTENDING BETWEENSAID LIGHTING MEANS AND SAID DISPENSING OPENING, AND WHEREIN A USER MAYINADVERTENTLY PUSH A PROJECTING LIT CIGARETTE BACK INTO THE CASING, THEIMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES RETRIVER MEANS ARRANGED ADJACENT SAID TROUGHMEMBER AND ACTUABLE FROM OUTSIDE SAID CASING FOR RETRIEVING A CIGARETTEINADVERTENTLY PUSHED BACK INTO THE CASING, FROM SAID TROUGH MEMBER ANDMOVING IT OUTWARDLY THROUGH SAID DISPENSING OPENING.